LL2 not booting if one extended partition is formatted to FAT 32

[arunp]

Dear gold_finger,

Thanks for all your effort, I installed the system as per your guide lines and restarted the system still the same issue. gild_finger i want to insist on one point i presume we are missing is that the "Hard disk boots, it shows all the LL grub boot options and the 10 seconds time is running below after that the OS hangs or doesn't start further in lay mans language the Grub is not able to find/decide the boot folder if we configure the system in this format. i am sorry if you have taken this point into account before to mention it again. given below is the inputs from the commands you have already asked to post after this installation:

Code: [Select]

linux@linux:~$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0 125.5M  0 part
├─sda2   8:2    0  12.2G  0 part
├─sda3   8:3    0 102.9G  0 part
├─sda4   8:4    0     1K  0 part
└─sda5   8:5    0 117.7G  0 part
sdb      8:16   0 465.8G  0 disk
├─sdb1   8:17   0  24.4G  0 part
├─sdb2   8:18   0     1K  0 part
├─sdb5   8:21   0   7.8G  0 part [SWAP]
├─sdb6   8:22   0  97.7G  0 part
└─sdb7   8:23   0 335.9G  0 part
sr0     11:0    1   700M  0 rom  /cdrom
loop0    7:0    0 668.3M  1 loop /rofs
linux@linux:~$ sudo blkid -c /dev/null
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="07DB-011B" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="RECOVERY" UUID="663EC66B3EC633B9" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="OS" UUID="0E58C90F58C8F68D" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="30D748C43DA76362" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sr0: LABEL="Linux Lite 2.0 64-bit" TYPE="iso9660"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="3e1b2b86-cac2-49d1-a834-1b6a7f16b1be" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="e36750d1-437d-45be-b954-be8a4b8cb74d" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sdb6: UUID="3e8711c6-3e32-44f2-a02e-db8f65ce6f6c" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb7: UUID="62B9FEA64E895E5B" TYPE="ntfs"
linux@linux:~$ sudo parted -llinux@linux:~$ cat /etc/fstab
parted: invalid option -- 'i'
parted: invalid option -- 'n'
parted: invalid option -- 'u'
parted: invalid option -- 'x'
parted: invalid option -- '@'
parted: invalid option -- 'i'
parted: invalid option -- 'n'
parted: invalid option -- 'u'
parted: invalid option -- 'x'
parted: invalid option -- ':'
parted: invalid option -- '~'
parted: invalid option -- '$'
Usage: parted [-hlmsv] [-a<align>] [DEVICE [COMMAND [PARAMETERS]]...]
linux@linux:~$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0 125.5M  0 part
├─sda2   8:2    0  12.2G  0 part
├─sda3   8:3    0 102.9G  0 part
├─sda4   8:4    0     1K  0 part
└─sda5   8:5    0 117.7G  0 part
sdb      8:16   0 465.8G  0 disk
├─sdb1   8:17   0  24.4G  0 part
├─sdb2   8:18   0     1K  0 part
├─sdb5   8:21   0   7.8G  0 part [SWAP]
├─sdb6   8:22   0  97.7G  0 part
└─sdb7   8:23   0 335.9G  0 part
sr0     11:0    1   700M  0 rom  /cdrom
loop0    7:0    0 668.3M  1 loop /rofs
linux@linux:~$ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA WDC WD2500BEKT-7 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system  Flags
 1      32.3kB  132MB   132MB   primary   fat16        diag
 2      134MB   13.2GB  13.0GB  primary   ntfs         boot
 3      13.2GB  124GB   110GB   primary   ntfs
 4      124GB   250GB   126GB   extended
 5      124GB   250GB   126GB   logical   ntfs


Model: Seagate Portable (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags
 1      1049kB  26.2GB  26.2GB  primary   ext4            boot
 2      26.2GB  500GB   474GB   extended
 5      26.2GB  34.6GB  8389MB  logical   linux-swap(v1)
 6      34.6GB  139GB   105GB   logical   ext4
 7      139GB   500GB   361GB   logical   ntfs


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: Invalid partition table - recursive partition on /dev/sr0.         
Ignore/Cancel? i                                                         
Model: PLDS DVD+-RW DS-8A5SH (scsi)
Disk /dev/sr0: 734MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 2048B/2048B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start  End  Size  Type  File system  Flags


linux@linux:~$ sudo blkid -c /dev/null
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="07DB-011B" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="RECOVERY" UUID="663EC66B3EC633B9" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="OS" UUID="0E58C90F58C8F68D" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="30D748C43DA76362" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sr0: LABEL="Linux Lite 2.0 64-bit" TYPE="iso9660"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="3e1b2b86-cac2-49d1-a834-1b6a7f16b1be" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="e36750d1-437d-45be-b954-be8a4b8cb74d" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sdb6: UUID="3e8711c6-3e32-44f2-a02e-db8f65ce6f6c" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb7: UUID="62B9FEA64E895E5B" TYPE="ntfs"
linux@linux:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
mount: block device /dev/sdb2 is write-protected, mounting read-only
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
linux@linux:~$ cat /mnt/etc/fstab
cat: /mnt/etc/fstab: No such file or directory
linux@linux:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
mount: block device /dev/sdb2 is write-protected, mounting read-only
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
linux@linux:~$
     

[gold_finger]

I don't see anything that would cause that problem so it still makes no sense.  At this point, let's try wiping out the whole drive and starting over.  If there is anything on there that you need to save, do that first.

*  Boot with live LL DVD

*  Open GParted and delete all partitions on the USB drive.

• Delete logical partitions before extended partition
• Delete extended partition
• Delete primary partitions
• If you can't delete swap, right-click it and choose "Swapoff" first, then delete.
• If you can't delete other partitions, right-click and choose "Unmount", then delete.

*  Click "Apply" button (arrow button under word "Help") to finalize deletions.

*  Now make a new partition table:  Device -> Create Partition Table -> msdos

*  Make the following new partitions with GParted:

• Primary partition -- 25GB -- Ext4 formatting  (this will be root)
• Extended partition -- size = rest of drive, 475GB
• Logical partition -- 8GB -- Swap
• Logical partition -- 100-125GB -- Ext4 formatting  (this will be /home)
• Logical partition -- 342-367GB -- NTFS formatting  (this will be /mnt/Windows)
• Click "Apply" button to finalize making your new partitions.

*  Close GParted and start the installer.

*  Choose "Something Else" option, then on the partitioning page:

• Highlight 25GB partition, hit "Change", then
  
  • Use as = Ext4 file system
  • Mount point = "/" (root)
  • Size = leave it at 25GB that you made with GParted
  • Format Box = does not matter (you already formatted with GParted)
• Highlight 100-125GB partition, hit "Change", then
  
  • Use as = Ext4 file system
  • Mount point = "/home"
  • Size = leave it at 100-125GB that you made with GParted
  • Format Box = does not matter (you already formatted with GParted)
• Highlight 342-367GB partition, hit "Change", then
  
  • Use as = NTFS file system
  • Mount point = "/mnt/Windows"  (you will need to type that in -- no quote marks.)
  • Size = leave it at 342-367GB that you made with GParted
  • Format Box = does not matter (you already formatted with GParted)
• No need to do anything with Swap partition.  Installer will use it automatically.
• Near bottom of window, "Device for boot loader installation" = /dev/sdb (or whatever the device name for the USB drive is).  It will be pre-filled with /dev/sda.  You need to change it to the USB drive designation.

*  Double-check your entries, then finish the installation

If you follow these steps and it refuses to boot properly, then I have no idea what is going wrong.

[arunp]

Dear gold_finger,

Yes, your understanding is exactly right, After the conversion of sdb3 to NTFS format and restarted the system, it does not boot from USB HDD after the Grub screen, Here is the output from the system as requested by you after booting through LL CD

Code: [Select]

linux@linux:~$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0 125.5M  0 part
├─sda2   8:2    0  12.2G  0 part
├─sda3   8:3    0 102.9G  0 part
├─sda4   8:4    0     1K  0 part
└─sda5   8:5    0 117.7G  0 part
sdb      8:16   0 465.8G  0 disk
├─sdb1   8:17   0     1K  0 part
├─sdb2   8:18   0  59.6G  0 part /mnt
├─sdb3   8:19   0 305.6G  0 part
├─sdb5   8:21   0   7.5G  0 part [SWAP]
└─sdb6   8:22   0  93.1G  0 part
sr0     11:0    1   700M  0 rom  /cdrom
loop0    7:0    0 668.3M  1 loop /rofs
linux@linux:~$ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA WDC WD2500BEKT-7 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system  Flags
 1      32.3kB  132MB   132MB   primary   fat16        diag
 2      134MB   13.2GB  13.0GB  primary   ntfs         boot
 3      13.2GB  124GB   110GB   primary   ntfs
 4      124GB   250GB   126GB   extended
 5      124GB   250GB   126GB   logical   ntfs


Model: Seagate Portable (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags
 2      1049kB  64.0GB  64.0GB  primary   ext4            boot
 1      64.0GB  172GB   108GB   extended
 5      64.0GB  72.0GB  7999MB  logical   linux-swap(v1)
 6      72.0GB  172GB   100GB   logical   ext4
 3      172GB   500GB   328GB   primary   ntfs


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: Invalid partition table - recursive partition on /dev/sr0.         
Ignore/Cancel? i                                                         
Model: PLDS DVD+-RW DS-8A5SH (scsi)
Disk /dev/sr0: 734MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 2048B/2048B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start  End  Size  Type  File system  Flags


linux@linux:~$ sudo blkid -c /dev/null
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="07DB-011B" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="RECOVERY" UUID="663EC66B3EC633B9" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="OS" UUID="0E58C90F58C8F68D" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="30D748C43DA76362" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sr0: LABEL="Linux Lite 2.0 64-bit" TYPE="iso9660"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="13ea928f-6d38-445e-b3b7-c06760ec9fea" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb3: UUID="6B6D529C3C948BA7" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="01dae284-d8de-4c09-bea1-2759ea815dc4" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sdb6: UUID="0278cd76-2f6f-44fa-bb27-87602c6c6332" TYPE="ext4"
linux@linux:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
mount: /dev/sdb2 already mounted or /mnt busy
mount: according to mtab, /dev/sdb2 is already mounted on /mnt
linux@linux:~$ cat /mnt/etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
# / was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
UUID=13ea928f-6d38-445e-b3b7-c06760ec9fea /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /home was on /dev/sdb6 during installation
UUID=0278cd76-2f6f-44fa-bb27-87602c6c6332 /home           ext4    defaults        0       2
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=01dae284-d8de-4c09-bea1-2759ea815dc4 none            swap    sw              0       0
linux@linux:~$


[gold_finger]

That is the issue, it doesn't boot if i configure it in that fashion. Now again i have booted it with CD and use Gparted and made the NTFS partition as unallocated and then restarted and now it boots with USB HD. Now again using the Gparted and converted the Unalocated space to NTFS and run the script and posting here.

Code: [Select]

arunp@arunp-Vostro-3400:~$ cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
# / was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
UUID=13ea928f-6d38-445e-b3b7-c06760ec9fea /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /home was on /dev/sdb6 during installation
UUID=0278cd76-2f6f-44fa-bb27-87602c6c6332 /home           ext4    defaults        0       2
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=01dae284-d8de-4c09-bea1-2759ea815dc4 none            swap    sw              0       0
 

Now if I restart the Grub runs and it doesn't start the OS

If I understand you right, you're saying that at this point you are booted into the system and used GParted to convert sda3 to NTFS format.  Also, you made NO changes to fstab file -- it still reads as shown here.  Correct?  And you are saying that if you were to reboot at this point, it will not work?

I have to say, that makes absolutely no sense to me and I've never seen that happen before.

Finish doing whatever you do for the NTFS partition and reboot the computer.  If it does not boot into your installed Linux Lite system, reboot again with the live DVD one more time before making any changes.  From the LIVE DVD, post back entire output of these commands:

Code: [Select]

lsblk
sudo parted -l
sudo blkid -c /dev/null
sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
cat /mnt/etc/fstab

[arunp]

Dear gold_finger,

That is the issue, it doesn't boot if i configure it in that fashion. Now again i have booted it with CD and use Gparted and made the NTFS partition as unallocated and then restarted and now it boots with USB HD. Now again using the Gparted and converted the Unalocated space to NTFS and run the script and posting here.

Code: [Select]

arunp@arunp-Vostro-3400:~$ cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
# / was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
UUID=13ea928f-6d38-445e-b3b7-c06760ec9fea /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /home was on /dev/sdb6 during installation
UUID=0278cd76-2f6f-44fa-bb27-87602c6c6332 /home           ext4    defaults        0       2
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=01dae284-d8de-4c09-bea1-2759ea815dc4 none            swap    sw              0       0
 

Now if I restart the Grub runs and it doesn't start the OS

[gold_finger]

Looks like you ran that last command from a live DVD.  Boot into your installed Mint on the hard drive and run the command again.  I need the output from the installed version, not the live DVD.  Thanks.

[arunp]

Code: [Select]

linux@linux:~$ cat /etc/fstab
overlayfs / overlayfs rw 0 0
tmpfs /tmp tmpfs nosuid,nodev 0 0
/dev/sdb5 swap swap defaults 0 0


[gold_finger]

Sorry, need output from one more command please:

Code: [Select]

cat /etc/fstab

[arunp]

Dear gold_finger,

Thanks for the mail, here is the output from the terminal:

Code: [Select]

arunp@arunp-Vostro-3400:~$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0 125.5M  0 part
├─sda2   8:2    0  12.2G  0 part
├─sda3   8:3    0 102.9G  0 part
├─sda4   8:4    0     1K  0 part
└─sda5   8:5    0 117.7G  0 part /media/arunp/30D748C43DA76362
sdb      8:16   0 465.8G  0 disk
├─sdb1   8:17   0     1K  0 part
├─sdb2   8:18   0  59.6G  0 part /
├─sdb3   8:19   0 305.6G  0 part /media/arunp/59F1FF817729F31A
├─sdb5   8:21   0   7.5G  0 part [SWAP]
└─sdb6   8:22   0  93.1G  0 part /home
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom 
arunp@arunp-Vostro-3400:~$ sudo blkid -c /dev/null
[sudo] password for arunp:
Sorry, try again.
[sudo] password for arunp:
/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="07DB-011B" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="RECOVERY" UUID="663EC66B3EC633B9" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="OS" UUID="0E58C90F58C8F68D" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="30D748C43DA76362" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="13ea928f-6d38-445e-b3b7-c06760ec9fea" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb3: UUID="59F1FF817729F31A" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="01dae284-d8de-4c09-bea1-2759ea815dc4" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sdb6: UUID="0278cd76-2f6f-44fa-bb27-87602c6c6332" TYPE="ext4"
arunp@arunp-Vostro-3400:~$


[gold_finger]

If you formatted that partition as NTFS and still had same problem, then my best guess is that you are making some kind of error in the steps you are following.

Boot the computer with your Linux Lite installation DVD.  Once booted up, go to Menu -> System -> Partition Drives to start the GParted program.  Take a screenshot of the window showing your drive partitions and post that back here for us to see.

Open a Terminal and enter the following commands:

Code: [Select]

lsblk
sudo blkid -c /dev/null
sudo parted -l(NOTE:  that's a lowercase letter "L" at end of last command, not the number 1.)

Copy the entire terminal output and paste it back here for us to see.

Follow directions on this post for posting your terminal output and screenshot back here to the forum.

[arunp]

Dear gold_fingger,

Thanks for the reply, I am mounting it as /Windows also tried it with /Dos, also tried NTFS still the same problem.

I am confused, may be something to do with the Grub? any script to be edited? because the Grub boots shows all the LL options with the seconds running below and after the defined time it goes blank like its not able to decide to boot from where (I persume) 

I hope you & the LL team dig into this issue and find out the solution 

[gold_finger]

I'm not sure what the problem is.  Maybe FAT32 format can not be used for such a large partition.  Have read that there is normally a size limit of 32GB in MS Windows for FAT32 partitions, but did not think that applied to Linux as well.  Maybe it does.  I don't know since I've not tried that.

You're not assigning the FAT32 partition a mount point of "/" or "/home", are you?

When you install and are asked for a mount point for the FAT32 partition, what are you filling in for the mount point?

As an experiment, try using NTFS format instead and see if that works.  It should.

Do you have to use FAT32 for some reason?  Could you use NTFS instead (assuming that experiment works)?

[arunp]

Dear gold_finger,

I have tried all the options as you have said in the mail earlier;

First: During installation i added it to sdb1 as logical FAT32 partition - result - After Grub boot screen the OS doesn't start

Second: Using LL live CD and G parted removed this FAT32 and made it as unallocated using Gparted - result - After Grub boot screen the OS starts fine

Third:  During installation i added it to sdb1 as logical e4xt partition - result - After Grub boot screen the OS starts fine

Fourth: I installed as given in the screen shot of my earlier post and using Gparted made it as another Primary FAT32 partition - - After Grub boot screen the OS doesn't start 

As you mentioned I want to know how to configure FAT32 partition set-up during installation

Also i want to know how to assign it as another primary FAT32 partition and mount it automatically on each start-up.

Pl guide me...

[gold_finger]

The drive can only have one "Extended" partition.  If you are trying to create another one, that's why it's failing.  Your sdb1 extended partition is currently filled by both the swap and home partitions.  You can use GParted (from a live LL DVD/USB) to expand the sdb1 partition to include all of the unallocated space first, then add a "Logical" FAT32 partition if you want it inside the extended partition.  Or you can just make the unallocated space into another "Primary" partition.

Are you trying to add that partition to the installation that you already have, or are you trying to re-install everything and have the FAT32 partition set-up during the installation?

Do you want the partition to be automatically mounted on each start-up?

[arunp]

Dear gold_finger,

Thank you, will do the same; given below is my setup



If i configure the unallocated space to

  /dev/sdd7 -- FAT32  -- /Windows

The USB HDD boots and the grub shows the LL options and after the defined time it goes blank, the OS doesn't start.

If i configure the unallocated space to

/dev/sdd7 -- ext4 -- /local

It works perfect.

Pl guide me how to use FAT32 partition.

Arun